Getting Oriented
Little Sahara sits on the west side of U.S. 281 about five miles below Waynoka, in Woods County in the northwest corner of Oklahoma. The park protects roughly 1,600 acres of open sand, dunes that stand 25 to 75 feet high and trace back to terrace deposits left by the Cimarron River. Oklahoma State Parks, a division of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, runs it as an off-road riding area rather than a hiking park. There is no marked trail network. Riders buy a permit at the entrance and take the sand.
The Riding
Everything inside the boundary is open to sand travel, so lines are a matter of reading the dunes rather than following signs. The western and northwestern sections hold the tallest and steepest faces, including Competition Hill and Buttercup, while the flats and smaller bowls elsewhere suit slower machines and newer riders. Paddle tires help on the soft climbs. Registered ATVs, UTVs and side-by-sides, dirt bikes, dune buggies, sand rails, and 4x4s all share the same acreage, which keeps sightlines and flag discipline important on the crests.
Points of Interest
- Competition Hill: the tallest dunes in the park, on the west and northwest side, with steep faces that draw the fastest machines.
- Buttercup: a high dune with an observation deck that overlooks the sand.
- Cimarron River bottomland: cottonwood and elm woodland rings the sand where the old river channel ran, a clear change from the bare dunes.
Where to Camp
The park keeps three campgrounds on site: Buttercup, Cowboy, and Golden Sands. Between them they offer RV sites with water and electric hookups plus a larger number of tent-only sites, along with comfort stations that have flush toilets and hot showers, and dump stations. Golden Sands is the largest, with roughly 47 hookup sites and 72 tent sites; Cowboy and Buttercup are smaller. Sites book through the Oklahoma State Parks reservation system and fill early for holiday weekends, so reserve ahead.
Permits and Regulations
Riding requires a daily ORV permit, most recently $15 per person for drivers and passengers, with children 10 and under free. An annual family pass covers frequent visitors. Oklahoma also requires ATVs and off-road motorcycles to carry a state OHV registration, a one-time $11 fee, and it honors valid out-of-state OHV registration. Every machine must fly a whip that reaches 10 feet off the ground with a solid bright orange flag, at least 6 by 12 inches, within 10 inches of the tip; flags carrying logos are turned away. Riders under 18 who are not inside a roll cage must wear a helmet. Dune buggies and 4x4s need a roll bar and a seat belt per passenger, and night riders must run a white front light and a red rear light.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- Fly the required orange whip flag before you leave camp; the dunes hide oncoming traffic until the last second.
- Crest blind dune tops at an angle and slow down. Head-on hits on ridgelines are the most common serious crash here.
- Carry a shovel, a tow strap, and traction boards. Stuck machines bury to the axles in soft sand.
- Skip the midday heat in summer, when the sand gets punishing. September through May rides best.
- Expect heavy crowds on spring break and three-day holiday weekends, which raises the collision risk.
- Top off fuel and water in Waynoka before you reach the gate. In-park supplies are seasonal.
Fuel and Water
Fuel, groceries, and water are in Waynoka, about five miles north of the gate. A seasonal concession operates inside the park, but do not count on it being open. Fill up in Waynoka before you ride. The nearest larger towns for supplies and services are Alva, roughly 25 miles north, and Woodward, roughly 35 miles southwest.
Nearby
Waynoka anchors the area and hosts sand-sports shops and ATV rental outfits for riders who arrive without a machine, along with an annual sand drag and dune event that draws big crowds. Alva and Woodward offer motels and larger stores within about half an hour. Oklahoma's other public dune-riding area, Beaver Dunes Park near Beaver, lies far to the west in the panhandle and makes a second stop for sand riders touring the state.
